diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
index 84f4cfea0..06b4a8f7b 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2017 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2018 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     {
         mesh.setInstance(oldInstance);
         stitcher.instance() = oldInstance;
+        stitcher.writeOpt() = IOobject::NO_WRITE;
     }
     Info<< nl << "Writing polyMesh to time " << runTime.timeName() << endl;